Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-22
INVESTIGATION IN ORDER.

a local account in another column indi-
Gates that it would be in order to overhaul
the management of the State Printing Of
flee. On the surface it appears that there
has been, to say the least, looseness in the
present administration of the Office. 1t is
probable that on the return of Governor
Bartlett from his vacation he will 90 to
the bottom of the matter, and that what
ever bad management develops will re-
ceiye correction. The irregularity appears to
relate mainly to the administration of the
fund for printing and binding the State
textbooks. While no defalcation is
charged, it appears on the surface that the
textbook fund has been diverted to aid
the ofice-support fund, which has suffered
collapse, due to the Legislature holding
over for week, and entailing an unfore-
seen cost of some $4,000.
Whatever the facts may prove TO be I'M
der official examination, this is certain:
that by no manner of contortion can it be
made,to reflect upon the wisdom of the
policy of the State publishing the school
textbooks. Despite the assaults of book
rings, the intrigues of publishing syndi-
Gates, the trickery and demagogy of politi-
clans, the State textbook system has been
fully demonstrated to be wise and eco
nomic. Practically, readers spoilers and
arithmetics have been issued of an order
equal to the demands of the educational
system, at from 80 to $50 per cent. less of
cost to the people than under the system
that forced them to buy of private pub
shers. The people now save nearly $780,
0O9 in hard cash, though only small por-
tion of the books have been delivered com
parable to the whole number that will
come into use when all the counties are
under the operation of the new system.
Besides this, they have been wholly freed
from the chicane and persecution of the
book rings, and the corrupting influence
they exercised in the politics of the State.
1t is shown very clearly, BY cur
local account, that all the
windy agitation of the spring
concerning the printing of the textbooks
IN sufficient quantity was without a par
ticle of foundation, and that the charges
so freely preferred against the State Board
of Education and its officers were ground
less and cruel. The policy of the Board
has been fully vindicated, and not one of
the charges laid, ostensibly in the interest
of the new system, has been maintained
On the contrary, precisely what the
REcoRp-USIoS constantly contended has
proven true-that readers and spoilers in
plenty have been printed, and that there
is not the slightest probability that the
supply will be permitted to fall below the
demand; that the whole wild agitation of
the spring went off upon premises
and assumptions concerning the number of
children to be supplied with books, not
warranted by school statistics; that
the excitement which characterized the
agitation was promoted and encouraged by
blatant demagogues and shame-faced lead
ers, who had no other than selfish ends to
conserve.
1t would be interesting to learn what
these short-sighted men have now TO saw
of the platform charges they made, that
not enough books were ordered printed,
and that the State Board of Education was
secretly plotting to bring the textbook
system into contempt We have had no
personal defenses to make o, ANY official
IN the matter, at the same time we refused
10 JON IN the insane agitation and denna-
Segic howl that was raised against the
State Board and its officers, because careful
examination convinced us that there was
nothing In the charges preferred, and that
the policy OF the Board in ordering the
printing was best for the people of the
State Wherever and whenever an enemy
of the State textbook. system assails il
the REcoRD-UNIoS will be the first to ex-
pose him, and to resist his assaults. It
believes in the system thoroughly and
while that is not all il might be or will he
and must be made, and though it has re-
ceived the opposition of teachers as rule.
is fought by book rings and assaiIed by
capitalized combinations, we believe it
viii continue to grow in favor, and prove
its valne to the people, until in the near